Oh Yeah, And I Saw This...

Whore-ific! And not in a good way...
Ummm, yeah. I saw The Stepfather remake. It blew. You can read my review at Horror Yearbook and I promise it's way better than the movie was!!!

Not much else going on here, unfortunately. Although I have caught every episode of the new Melrose Place, and I admit it... I like it! Do you hear me?!? I like it! The funny thing is, the older characters who have come back (and they include Sydney, Michael, Jo and boring old Jane) are very, very poorly written (especially Michael. What a total letdown), but everyone else is great. I am curious as to why they took all of the personality out of the great old faces? Wonders never cease, no?

Must See TV... Must Buy TV! YAY!

The folks at Warner Archives are at it again! Yes, no promotion, but lots of goodies. Check out the latest:

Death of a Centerfold: This is a fairly accurate account of the life and death of Dorothy Stratten. Peter Bogdanovich actually said in his book about Dorothy called The Killing of a Unicorn: Dorothy Stratten 1960-1980, this was better than Star 80, although personally I think he just found it a bit easier to watch (he was dating Stratten at the time of her murder). It's a pretty stark little movie with odd casting, but Jamie Lee Curtis is great and it's an above average TVM about a very tragic figure in pop culture. Highly recommended.

Jack the Ripper: This is the awesome mini-series featuring Michael Caine and Armand Assante. The filmmakers were so certain they knew who committed Jack's horrid crimes, there's a little name dropping at the end. But I'll never tell, you'll have to watch the movie to find out!

Man From Atlantis: This is the pilot movie for the short lived show starring uber-sexy Patrick Duffy (with webbed hands!) alongside uber-sexy Belinda Montgomery. He is the last known survivor of Atlantis so you know adventure ensues!

In Other Must See News:


Who doesn't love a good scary clown? Well, this isn't a made for television movie, but I recently caught Darin Scott's newest opus Dark House and it was so very awesome. Click on link for review.


The Must See Streaming Movie of the Week:

It's been awhile since I've done one of these, but if there was ever a time to promote an awesome TVM, now is surely the moment.



Madame Sin is one of those oddball little flicks that totally defies categorization. But I'll try to give the synopsis here anyway. Basically, the great Bette Davis is an Asian (!) terrorist lady who kidnaps a super spy played by Robert Wagner. She is using him to steal nuclear weapons.

I kid you not.

Directed by the great David Greene (Vacation in Hell), this is uber-stylish and somehow completely watchable despite the outrageous (and admittedly silly) premise. Go see this. It's awesome! Click on the link to watch it streaming on Netflix!

News and a Bit of the Blues

Ack! Not only has Dark Night of the Scarecrow been postponed, but it looks like Werewolf is now on the backburner as well. According to this Dread Central article, Shout Factory is completely cancelling their release and Werewolf is now back in Sony's hands.

Actually, Mr. McKee at the fabulous blog Johnny LaRue's Crane Shot already mentioned this to me. I just ran out of time and only thought to myself today, "Oh, wasn't this supposed to come out tomorrow?" So, here I am the bearer of bad news and I'm all late about it. Lame, I know.

What a sad day, for Werewolf was truly a great television show that marked the competitive ferocity the young Fox Network had back in 1987.

So again, we just have to wait.


In happier news, I am pleased to announce that I entered an essay contest over at the awesome website Smash or Trash and came in fifth out of almost 100 entries! YAY! The subject was scary clowns, so you know the material was ripe. The essays were wonderful, and I highly suggest you stop by and read them all!

Claudia Jennings Blog-a-thon Part 2: Sisters of Death (1977)

Again, a big thanks to Temple of Schlock for holding this Claudia Jennings Blog-a-thon!

This awesome proto-slasher has two things going for it. One: It’s a grindhouse flick that plays like a made for television movie (and yeah, I do not think that’s a negative) and two: It’s got one of the greatest drive-in queens of all time, Claudia Jennings.

Claudia was never really a household name. Although she did have her share of infamy – she was the Playboy Playmate of the Year in 1970 and posed one more time in 1979. She made a slew of films in that nine year time span, mostly B level genre fare that required little more than some hot T&A to get it produced. But what they got when Claudia signed onto a project was not just stunning eye candy. Claudia was a formidable actress, guaranteeing that whatever film she appeared in would be raised up at least a notch just but letting her take up some celluloid. She was a rare beast – a woman who was just as talented as she was beautiful.

Flashback - 70s Style!

Claudia starred in some great B movies, my favorite being Unholy Rollers, where she takes on the roller derby and takes no prisoners in the process! Kind of ironic that Drew Barrymore’s newest film, Whip It, another flick about the trials and tribulations of the derby, would come out October 2nd, because October 3rd marks the 30th anniversary of Claudia’s untimely death. Claudia died in a car accident when she was just 29 years old.

The chronicle of her short life shows a lot of major ups and downs. She struggled to be taken seriously as a talented actress, forever looked at as a Playmate. She had a couple of opportunities to shed her saucy image, her biggest being a shot to replace Kate Jackson on Charlie’s Angels. Claudia was high up on the list of potential actresses, but the executives (and Aaron Spelling) were nervous about her work as a Bunny and ultimately they went with the lovely Shelly Hack.

It’s hard not to wonder where life would have gone for Claudia if she’d gotten the part. Television would have been a perfect move. It was a place where no nudity was required and it was during a decade when television was full of incredibly choice programming. Claudia did dip her feet a bit in television waters, even appearing in one of the most un-sexy shows of the era, The Brady Bunch. She’s is the famous episode Adios, Johnny Bravo. Need I say more? Well, yeah I did need to say more. Check out Claudia on the Brady Bunch in this blog post.

This man is apparently avenging the death of a Swedish barmaid?!?
Claudia had a kind of beauty that lingers in the mind’s eye. It’s an honest kind of perfection - A sort of untouched quality that allowed her to look both devilish and innocent at the same time. It was something that would come in handy as she grew as an actress, and one of her most underrated films, Sisters of Death (which was shot in 72 but not released until 1977) shows the burgeoning of a wonderful artist.

The movie itself is one of those B movies you go into thinking it will be full of salacious doings. I mean, it’s about a group of sorority sisters playing Russian Roulette as part of an initiation. Gun goes BOOM and girl goes dead. Seven years later, the remaining sisters are called to a desolate house in Paso Robles where they find the dead girl’s father, who is just slightly bent on revenge. That is when he’s not playing the flute. Seriously, this guy is a multitasker! See, you just know this movie is going to be full of blood and guts and nudity and just about everything else you paid to see. You really don’t get any of that, but depending on your disposition, you still end up with a really good film. A great whodunit premise, with a wonderful last minute twist, Sisters of Death is what we call a slow-burn potboiler. So, if you like the recipe, you’re sure to love the servings!

Claudia is Judy, the most successful of the sisters, and the most fearless of them as well. She bursts in on the dead girl’s pop in one scene, giving him her where-for-art-thous. It gets her nowhere, but you know, points for trying! At any rate, she’s the character you remember.

Claudia behind bars!
Also appearing in Sisters is Joe E. Tata, who you may know best as Nat on Beverly Hills 90210 (the original and redux – Go Nat!). He was in one other Jennings flick, the aforementioned Unholy Rollers. I always thought I’d like to meet him just to ask him about Claudia. Well, and because I adore him!

But I digress, this movie has it all, a great looking, creepy house, girls in the desert in heavy polyester, some nice creepy set-pieces, a bit of a Ten Little Indians feel, a spider that sticks to stomachs, Nat from 90210, Claudia and a twist. Seriously, what are you waiting for?!?

You're gonna love what these girls are servin' up!

Claudia Jennings Blog-a-Thon P.1: Adios, Johnny Bravo

A big thanks to the guys at Temple of Schlock for their Claudia Jennings Blog-a-thon idea. Luvin' it!

Claudia didn't do much on television of note, as most of her stuff was more likened to the exploitation genre fare (and it was awesome), but she did make one very important appearance on The Brady Bunch. It's an infamous episode titled Adios Johnny Bravo, and involves Claudia as a sleazy record producer type trying to lure super clean Greg Brady into a world of pop music without identity.


Ummm, shouldn't we be ripping off Claudia's clothes?
Barry Williams who played Greg once said Claudia was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. And he worked with Maureen McCormick! Actually, Claudia and Maureen became friends later when they made Moonshine County Express. For all the salacious details, pick up Maureen's bio Here's the Story. It ain't pretty, but maybe that's part of Claudia's appeal. She was a woman's woman and a man's woman, alluring to all who saw her. Her poetic beauty still lives as far as I'm concerned, and I love that this Brady Bunch episode endures. It might be the one thing that will keep introducing her to new audiences.

Here is a little picture gallery of Claudia on the Brady Bunch:

The Vegas Strip War (1984)

Network: NBC
Original Air Date: November 25th, 1984


I have to wonder how on earth they got Rock Hudson to star in this plodding, ill advised drama/thriller about warring casinos on the infamous Las Vegas Boulevard. I get how they got Sharon Stone, she was still virtually an unknown actress at the time (with questionable chops) and I even get how they got James Earl Jones to do a fascinating Don King rip off (this guy can do anything), but the Rock? I dunno, it’s not connecting for me. But then again, so little does…


Sharon and Rock enjoy the pokey!
The Vegas Strip War is mostly of interest to people (like me) who love to see films shot in Vegas. I grew up there and am always fascinated with how the town continually changes. There is this fantastic scene featuring Rock hanging out in Downtown Vegas, which used to be the hub of the city. The empty, rain slicked street really captures a city that no longer is.

But enough pontificating on my part, how bad is this movie?

It’s bad.

I mean it’s really bad. Like confoundingly-confusingly-ploddingly-suckily bad.

So Fine
Rock is Neil Chaine, owner of the Desert Inn. He loves to ply his customers with wine, women, cars and lots of attention. He’s a good businessman, but is suddenly pushed out by the board members of his casino for alleged mob ties. Somehow, all the love he gets in the first five minutes of the film turn nasty as he’s ousted during an impromptu board meeting in a horse stable! So he goes across the street and buys the Tropicana! And then all bets are off as Neil charms his way into success, near defeat and then back to success again.

So Fine Part II
Nothing in this film makes sense. It’s written like a grand Shakespearian tragedy with long bits of dialog that mean nothing and have no real logic. There’s a nice bit of racism to be had as well, featuring Pat Morita as the rich Asian man who rings in other rich “orientals” and Jones accusing everyone of disliking him because he’s black (that is until Sharon Stone puts a cork in his bottle! It’s not as dirty as that sounds…). It’s fairly predictable, kind of unwatchable and yet sort of captivating. As I’ve said before, if you like films that take place in Sin City, this is a must.

You've got to be kidding me?!?
This was not only Rock Hudson’s last made for TV movie but it was also his last film before he succumbed to the AIDS virus a year later. Watching The Vegas Strip War now feels bittersweet because it’s hard to detach this dim-witted tele-flick from the very real heartbreak that was the last days of Rock Hudson’s life. He’s in fine form here and looks pretty good. He might not have left this earthly plane with a scorcher, but this true professional exited this life like the star he was. That makes me happy.

So Streets of Fire!

Patrick Swayze 1952 - 2009

There is absolutely nothing I can say that won't be said better by someone else on the internet. Patrick Swayze was an icon. Pure and simple. He appeared in some of the best loved films of the 80s into the 90s. He seemed like a true gentleman and proved you could be straight and still dance like that. He was, for many of us, the guy we grew up watching. And we loved him.

Patrick had his hand in more than a few television projects, his final being The Beast which aired earlier this year on A&E. As he struggled with pancreatic cancer, my love and admiration only grew for him. I am deeply saddened by his passing.

Here's a couple of stills of Patrick in Return of the Rebels:












Strangely enough, I finally got to see this movie only a couple of weeks ago. I started writing my review of it last week between classes. Patrick is the bad guy, and man, he's oh-so-good at it! I will post the review with more stills when I finish it.

Patrick in Renegades:


This has to be my all time favorite thing Patrick ever did (with Roadhouse coming in a close second!). Before 21 Jump Street, Patrick and his merry band of reformed street thugs went undercover as cool young things, infiltrating all that is evil for the young... Originally a made for TV movie which aired in 1982, it became a very short lived series in 1983... only six episodes. I remember watching ever single one.


Patrick also appeared in the following television movies/mini-series:

The Comeback Kid (1980)
Pigs vs. Freaks (1984)
North & South (1985)
North & South: Book II (1986)
King Solomon's Mines (2004)
Icon (2005)



RIP Patrick. You were one of a kind. I'll miss you.

Here is the opening credits for Renegade, aka the best show ever:

Dark Night of the Scarecrow DVD Postponed!!!

Say it ain't so!!!!

I just saw a post at Horror Yearbook regarding the postponement of the DVD release of Dark Night of the Scarecrow, the single most anticipated DVD release of the year! Apparently the original DVD company fell through. Needless to say, a tear or two was shed. But read the article - writer J.D. Feigelson is looking for another distributor. Fingers crossed J.D.! I know you've put a lot of work into getting this movie to its audience.

Strangely, 2009 has seen the release of several other awesome television movies such as Bad Ronald, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark & The Bermuda Depths (all through Warner Archive). With the exception of a few other titles, the release of Scarecrow would mean the very top films in the sub-genre had become available to a whole new crowd. I have faith this will happen, just not right this second.

Hang tight Bubba!!!




That's Bubba literally hanging tight!

Dick Berg 1922 - 2009

Long time television producer Dick Berg (aka Richard Berg III), whose company Stonehenge Productions was responsible for several awesome television movies such as Someone I Touched, The Spell and Are You in the House Alone (featuring an early & quite menacing performance by Dennis Quaid) has passed away at the age of 87.

His incredible filmography boggles the mind.

The LA Times wrote a fantastic article about Mr. Berg that you should read if you are unfamiliar with his work. Like Levinson & Link or Aaron Spelling, this man's heart was in it and I just love him for it.

The Darkness and the Light

OK, let's start with the dark first, shall we?

You can pop on over to Pretty Scary to read my review of a movie called Drifter: Henry Lee Lucas, which features Antonio Sabato Jr. (Melrose Place, General Hospital) as one of the most menacing killers in the history of true crime. OK, so Antonio is not a bad actor. In fact, he is downright fun, but such an odd choice to play one of the most revolting killers of our time. However, I thought I might take this time to make note of how Henry has gotten hotter as time progresses:

The Real Henry... not so hawt:



The late Robert A. Burns as a version of Henryin the underrated Confessions of a Serial Killer, also not hawt:



Michael Rooker in the ultimate portrayal in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.OK, he's pretty hawt:



Antonio Sabato, Jr. as seen in Drifter is way too hawt:



I find it interesting (and slightly sad) how film seems to be leaning more towards an attractive face rather than someone who is right for the part. I mean, I like Antonio a lot, but what a miscast...

Now that I'm done with my little dissertation on beauty and serial killers, let's get on with it!

The Streaming TV Movie of the Week


Policewoman Centerfold is a tame, but totally engaging film that aired on NBC on October 17th, 1983. Based on a true story, Melody Anderson is uber-hawt Jennifer Oaks, a girl who sends her pictures to a Playboy-esque magazine as a joke. Well, the laughs on her folks, because they love her and invite her to California for a pretty sexy and racy photo shoot (the end result looking surprisingly authentic). The magazine people tell her that she'll gain confidence, but they forget to mention that she's also invited a lot of heartache from her co-workers at the police force. Also, her cop partner/boyfriend Nick Velano (Ed Marinaro, talk about hawt!) ain't too thrilled by it either. So there goes Jennifer taking on the man! Btw, Donna Pescow plays her BFF, the woman who totally encourages Jennifer to do the shoot and then chastises her for doing it. Wow, what a tangled web we weave Donna! The cast is great, especially Melody who is strikingly beautiful but not so much that you're distracted by it. She does blue collar OK and makes the character sympathetic and likable.

It's streaming on Netflix as we speak, so please stop by and give it a watch.

And one final note, Amanda By Night is now a college girl. My classes started yesterday and all I can say is YIKES! So, I will do my best to post when I can, but I have no set schedule as of now. And yet I have so much up my sleeve, but my time management skills suck. But please keep looking into the ether for updates, reviews, whatnot.

OK, as you were.